Air spring



F. S. CHURCH.

AIR SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1921.

1,414,623, 7 Patented May 2, 1922.

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a2 5 U Q 1% ML A5 a6 )9 l6 6 Q ,lNV EPNIQE isTAas FRANK s. CHURCH, or CINCINNATI; 'OHIO,'AS'SIG1\TOR or QNE-HALF 'ro THE THOS. J' CORCORAN LAM CCMI' NY, or CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CoI'tronAr oN-or 0310.

AIR SPRING.

Application filed April 6,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that -I, FRANI S-.'CHUROH, a

. citizen of the United States, residing at 'Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Air Spring, of which the-following is a 'specification.

This invention relates to an improved air 1 spring of a disc-shaped diaphragm type as distinguished from the annular-tube diaphragm type disclosed in my copending application serially numbered 414,376 filed Oct. 2, 1920. In the present application, as in the application to which reference has just been made, the construction is shown as designed to be used either as a substitute for the usual vehicle spring or as a supplemental spring or shock absorber.

The particular object in the present 'invention, however, has been to provide in an air spring primary and secondarypressure chambers which cooperate for vastly improved action and reaction during the initial I and rebound shock impelled movements of the running gear of a .vehicle with relation to its chassis. v

In addition to this important feature of the invention herein described, I have had as a further object to produce an air spring production and in the sale price to the pur'- chaser.

These and other objects which have not been specifically set forth, are attained in the air spring-construction described in the fol-.

lowing specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which:

Fig 1 is a sectional elevation of myimproved air spring with the elements thereof in the positions they assume immediately upon the completion of an initial shock-imp'elledmovement of the vehicle running gear relatively to the chassis.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1921. Serial No. 458,984.

Patented May 2, 1922.

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but showing the parts in the positions they assume after completion of a rebound shock-impelled movement of the running gear relatively to the chassis and immediately upon the introduction of an initial shock-impelled movement thereof.

In the form which .I have chosen as an embodiment of my present invention, I have provided a primary or main air chamber 3 and a secondary or auxilliary air chamber 4, the latter being formed by the space between the air spring body '5 and an inner division wall6, and the former beingformed by the space between the division wall 6 and a flexible diaphragm 7. The body 5 is preferably formed of sheet metal with its outer walls 8 of cylindrical shape and having a depressed top 9 closing the cylinder at its upper end. A shackle bolt bracket 10'is secured to the top by any suitable means as for example the spaced screws 11 and mounted in the split ends of the bracket is the shackle bolt or pin 12 which is locked therein by pins or bolts 13, further illustration and description of which is not' essential to the invention. At a suitable .point, preferably at or adjacent to the juncture of the side and top of the body an air valve 14is provided for inflation of the spring, as will be hereinafter explained. The lower edge of the cylindrical body wall is outturned to formj an annularflange 15. The inner division wall 6 is preferably of sheet metal and has a shape which is substantially frustoconical. The upper edge of the inner wall is provided with a slightly downturned flange 16 to fit the depressed top 9 of the body and maybe so located as to permit of being fastened by the screws 11 to the body, thus securing the bracket 10, body 5 and inner wall 6 together at this point. I The lower edge of the inner'wall meets the bottom edge of the cylindrical wall 8 of the body and is-provided with an outturned flange 17 which lies against the flange 15 of the body. In the inner wall and located to open upwardly is a clack valve 18 which closes an opening 19 in the wall, the. opening 19 affording communication between the chambers 3 and 4 when the valve isopen and a small opening or bleederpassage 20 in the valve affording communication between the chambers when the valve is closed. The flexible diaphragm 7 is preferably of a rubber impregnated fabpressure in chamber '3 which is i shown open in Fig. 2

ric such as the usual pneumatic tire material, and being of disc shape having a dished formation, is secured to the under face of inner wall flange 17 by a ribbed clamping ring 21, which with the diaphragm, and flanges 15 and 17, are'held together securely by bolts 22 spaced at intervals. At the center of diaphragm 7 and in axial alignment with shackle bolt bracket 10. is the lower. shackle bolt bracket 23 carrying the shackle bolt or pin 24 which is held in the split endsof the bracket by lock bolts 25 asin the upper bracket. This lowerbracket is held to the diaphragm by bolts or screws 26" which clamp the material thereof between the bracket and an inner clampin plate 27, the bracket having a disc-like pfitte extension 28 which is curved downwardly to its outer edge, to 'take the oppositelcurvature of the diaphragm when depressed. as. shown in Fig.1, and the plate 27 has its lower face similarly curved to take the curvature of the diaphragm when it is extended as shown in Fig. 2. Such curvatures as are provided by plates 27 and 28 there fore prevent deterlorating bending action of the diaphragm in its flexing duringthe operation of the spring.

In the operation of my improved air springwhich is first inflatedto the desired extent through the valve 14, which is preferably one ofthe usual Schrader type, the vehicle chassis is supported by the upper shackle bolt 12 of each spring attached thereto and the running gear receives the weight of the chassis and its attached parts through the lower shackle bolt 24:, one of my improved air springs being preferably located at each point where the vehicle springs and chassis are connected. Upon the passage of the vehicle wheels over any unevenness or obstruction in the roadway upon which the vehicle is travelling, the first action will be to lift the wheel'which encounters the obstruction, with relation to the chassis This causes the shackle bolt'24 to be moved toward shackle bolt 12' by indent: mg diaphragm 7 j,to'flex it over plate 28.' This movement of the diaphragm, tending to collapse it, is resisted yieldin ly by the igzreased by reason of this action. The'result of such an increaseof pressure within chamber 3 is to overbal'ance the pressure in chamber 4 by lifting valve 18, thus equalizing the pressures "in both chambers and giving the air acted upon. An-extremely collapsed position of the diaphragm, after having been moved from the position shown in Fig. 2,'i s shown in Fig. 1, and thevalve,-which1is during the upward movement of diaphragm 7 as indicated by arrow A, in order t'o-show the'communicar combin and vehicle tion between the chambers during the main shock absorbing movement of the air spring, is shown'closed in Fig. 1 upon completion of thecollapsing movement and resumption of the extended position by movement of the diaphragm downward as indicated by arrow B. In the condition shown in Fig 1, the air in chamber 4 has in density and the bleeder passage in the valve will allow of'gradual resumption of normal. pressure. within chamber. 3 from chamber spring to snub the reaction or the primary or main shock movement, so that the spring will be caused to act in the cot capacity of shock absorber and snubber as I stood by those skilled in the art. Although I have described the operation of the parts under extreme action and reaction conditions, it will be understood that normally the spring willbe operating under greatly modified vibratory movements which bring about a series of rapid collapsing and restoring actions of the diaphragm, the valve, and the air in the 'two cooperating l chambers, serving tomaintain sage of the vehicleoverthe and resist with yielding force roadway.

A feature of my invention is that the air sprlng body and diaphragm being relatively large in diameter as comparedto the thickness of the spring over the body and 'dia-' phragm, will support a much greater load and react in like degree as compared with air spring constructions having much greater length from top to bottom and a considerably decreased area exposed to air pressure. Anothen feature is that because of the thin construction of m improved spring, the substitution thereofbetween the chassis shackle, is rendered way changing the height of the chassis above the vehicle spring or otherwise altering the positions, conditions, construction, or operatlon of the vehicle parts with relation to one a relative smooth paS- spring in place of the usual possible without in any been materially increased 4, thus acting to cause the air rebound shock occasioned by these terms are ordinarily underis curved away from the. diaphragm and does not contact therewith except at the center under normal conditions, any increase inload will bring. an increasedamount of plate surface into contact with the diaphragm to afi'ord'greater support thereto, thus reinforcing it to a greater extentas well n as subjecting an increased-area to the ai r pressure to support an increased load.'--

which are set forth in the'appended construction-claims'as follows: y

-1. air spring consistingof a substantially cylindrical metal body fllav ng the These and otheradvantages are attained In my improved. air spring the novelties of I 'the top versely plate is moved to body and diaphragm will occur during (1 in engagement with the diaphragm, adaptupper end thereof closed, an inner wall located therein and secured at its lower edge to the lower edge of'the body and atits upper edge to the top thereof adjacent to the center thereof to form a substantially annular air chamber between the body and inner wall, a disc shaped flexible diaphragm closing the lowerend of the body to form an air chamber between it and the inner wall, and means for attaching the chassis and running gear of a vehicle to the body and diaphragm respectively;

2. In an, air'spring-the combination of a cylindrical metal body having a closed top, a relatively flexible diaphragm closing the bottom, a wall within the bodydividing the space therein into chambers, one between and the wall and one between the wall and the diaphragm, and means attaching the body and diaphragm respectively' to the chassis and running gear of a vehicle.

3. In combination in an air spring a body having a closed top, a diaphragm closing the bottom, a wall dividing the space between thetop and diaphragm into two chambers, a valve in the wall adapted to open and close to afford communication between the chambers during relative-movements of the diaphragm and body, and means adapted to connect the air spring to a vehicle whereby relative movement of the movement between the vehicle chassis an running gear;

4. An air spring comprisinga body hav-, ing a closed top, a diaphragm closing the bottom and relatively movable with rela tion to the body, and a plate having a re-; curved surface in engagement with the diaphragm, adapted to present a surface of increasing area to the diaphragm as the flex the diaphragm toward her below the means ,means for connecting the of a vehicle, and a v communication 'to the diaphragm as adapted to chamthe body, the space phragm into two chambers, and permit easy passage of air from the the means :and restricted passage to the from the chamber above the means chamber below the means.

5. In an air springthe combination of a body having one en closed, a diaphragm closing the opposite end of the to afford! a. restricted communication {between the chambers whenthe. valve is closed,

body to one relatively movable portion second means for connecting the diaphragm to another relatively movable portion of a vehicle. 6. In combination in an airspring a metal body having a closed top, .a flexible phragm closing the bottom and relatively movable with relation to the body, a wall dividing the space between the top and diahragm into two chambers, a. valve in the wall adapted to open and close .to aiford between the chambers, a plate having a reversely curved surface ed to present a surface of increasing area to flex the diaphragm toward the 'body, means for connecting the body to the chassisof a vehicle, and a separate means for connecting the diaphragm to the running gear of a vehicle.

FRANK s. cannon.

to the chamber above air body, a wall.

dividing the space within theibody nto wall adapteddia- 1 the plate is moved 

